The Lusail Tram is Qatar’s light rail network, serving the planned city of Lusail just north of Doha. It is smaller and less well known than the Doha Metro, and that is exactly why it is worth a job seeker’s attention: fewer applicants chase tram vacancies, yet the work sits inside the same rail organisation and opens the same career doors. This guide explains who employs the tram workforce, which roles come up, what employers look for, and how to apply.
Who actually employs Lusail Tram staff?
This is the single most useful thing to understand before you apply, because applying to the wrong organisation is the most common mistake candidates make.
- Qatar Rail owns the Lusail Tram, along with the Doha Metro. It handles the network as an asset — planning, expansion, and the corporate side.
- RKH Qitarat operates and maintains both the tram and the metro under a long-term contract. It is a joint venture between Qatar’s Hamad Group and the French transit operators Keolis and RATP Dev. Most day-to-day operational and maintenance vacancies sit here.
- Contractors and suppliers also recruit. Alstom supplied the Citadis trams and is involved in rolling stock support; construction and civil works on extensions are delivered by contractors such as the QDVC joint venture.
In short: if you want a tram driver, controller, technician or station role, RKH Qitarat is usually your target employer. If you want engineering, planning, project or commercial work on the wider network, look at Qatar Rail and its contractors. Our Qatar Rail careers and jobs hub tracks openings across both.
What the network looks like — and why it matters for your application
The tram began preview service on 1 January 2022 and has expanded steadily since. It now runs the Orange, Pink and Turquoise lines across roughly 16 km of route, with the Purple Line still to come, and interchanges with the Doha Metro at Legtaifiya. The fleet is made up of 35 Alstom Citadis trams.
Two features of this network shape the hiring:
- It is a driven system, not a driverless one. Unlike the automated Doha Metro and Dubai Metro, the Lusail Tram uses tram drivers. That creates a genuine operator career path that automated metros do not offer.
- It mixes street-running, elevated and underground sections. Staff need to handle both traditional light rail environments and tunnel operations, which raises the bar on safety competence.
Roles in demand on the Lusail Tram
Operations roles
- Tram driver / light rail vehicle operator — driving in mixed traffic and reserved alignments, managing dwell times and reporting faults.
- Operations control centre (OCC) controller — regulating headways, managing service disruption and coordinating with maintenance teams.
- Station and customer service staff — passenger assistance, ticketing and travel card queries, crowd management on event days.
- Traffic and service supervisors — overseeing shifts, incident response and frontline team performance.
Maintenance and engineering roles
- Rolling stock technicians and fitters — depot maintenance on the Citadis fleet, including bogies, doors, brakes and traction systems.
- Overhead line and traction power technicians — the tram uses ground-level power supply on parts of the route as well as overhead systems, so electrical competence is valued.
- Track and permanent way staff — inspection, tamping, welding and embedded-track work in an urban environment.
- Signalling and telecoms engineers — tram priority at junctions, communications systems and control integration.
- Station systems technicians — lifts, escalators, HVAC, fare gates and passenger information displays.
Support and corporate roles
- Safety, SHEQ and RAMS specialists
- Planning, timetabling and performance analysts
- Procurement, HR, finance and training officers
Skills and qualifications employers look for
Requirements vary by role, but a consistent pattern runs through Qatari rail recruitment:
- Relevant technical training. A diploma or degree in electrical, mechanical, mechatronic or civil engineering for technical roles; a strong secondary education plus vocational training for operational roles.
- Rail or transport experience. Previous light rail, metro, tram or mainline experience is a clear advantage. Experience from bus, aviation or industrial operations can transfer for customer-facing and shift-based roles.
- Safety competence. Recognised safety qualifications — NEBOSH, IOSH or equivalent — carry weight, especially in maintenance and supervisory roles. See our guide to the best certifications for a rail career in the Gulf.
- Language and communication. English is the working language in most roles; Arabic is a real asset in customer-facing positions.
- Shift readiness. The tram follows metro operating hours, running from early morning to midnight and later on Thursdays and Fridays. Rosters include nights, weekends and public holidays.
Pay, benefits and what to expect
Salary levels depend heavily on the role, your experience and whether you are hired locally or recruited from overseas. Qatar offers no personal income tax, and packages for expatriate staff commonly include housing or a housing allowance, transport, medical cover and an annual flight home. Technical and supervisory roles pay considerably more than entry-level operational ones, and specialist engineering disciplines command the strongest packages. Treat any figure you see advertised online as indicative only — actual offers vary widely by employer and contract.
How to apply for Lusail Tram jobs
- Go direct to the operator. RKH Qitarat publishes vacancies on its own careers page; Qatar Rail lists corporate and project roles on its website.
- Tailor your CV to rail. Lead with safety record, systems you have worked on and measurable reliability or availability results. Our guide on writing a CV for Gulf rail and metro jobs covers the structure recruiters expect.
- Prepare documents early. Attested certificates, a valid passport, an experience letter from previous employers and a police clearance are standard for Qatari employment visas.
- Apply broadly across the region. The same skill set transfers to Dubai Metro jobs, Etihad Rail careers and Riyadh Metro jobs — casting a wider net across the GCC significantly improves your odds.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs the Lusail Tram?
Qatar Rail owns the network. RKH Qitarat — a joint venture of Hamad Group with Keolis and RATP Dev — operates and maintains it under a 20-year contract, alongside the Doha Metro.
Does the Lusail Tram have drivers?
Yes. Unlike the fully automated Doha Metro, the Lusail Tram is driven, so tram driver and light rail vehicle operator roles genuinely exist on this network.
Do I need Qatar experience to get hired?
No. Employers recruit internationally and regularly hire from Europe, South Asia, North Africa and elsewhere in the GCC. What matters more is relevant rail or transport experience, a clean safety record and the willingness to relocate on a sponsored employment visa.
Is the Lusail Tram still expanding?
Yes. The Turquoise Line opened in January 2025 and the Purple Line is still under construction, so further operational, maintenance and project roles are expected as new sections come into service.
Start your search
The Lusail Tram is a compact network inside a much larger rail organisation — a realistic entry point into Qatari rail, and a stepping stone to the Doha Metro and the wider GCC network. If you are ready to move, browse the latest rail and metro job listings on Gulf Rail Jobs and apply to the openings that match your experience.
